Knitting machine and process



1939- H. HOUSEMAN ET AL 2,143,985

KNITTING MACHINE ,AND PROCESS Original Filed Jan. 19, 1933 5Sheets-Sheet 1 M/VE/W'OAS lf/ rmsss; Harold E. beu-seman Q h l/ r' L.guseman Mia Feb. 28, 1939. H. E. HOU SEMAN ET AL. 2,148,985

I KNITTING MACHINE AND PRQCESS Original Filed Jan. 19, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 2 32 A BEL 1 I 38 wvzyroms W/IWEGS: b j Ef/y'gasemazz fM/Jur L flauseman Feb. 28, 1939. H. E. H4OU.SEMAN ET AL 2,148,985

KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS Original Fild Jan. 19, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet3 rra Iva-rs.

Feb. 28, 1939. I H, E. HQUSEMAN ET AL 2,148,985

KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS Original Filed Jan. 19, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet4 np Qo nb-nmognp omna,

I Feb. 28, 1939. H. E. HOUSEMAN ET AL 2,148,985

KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS Original Filed m. 19, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 5ababc do daZ dclcbao b c ,bccoocc 4 ORA/E75.

Patented. Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES m'r'rnvc. monmn AND raocnss.

I Harold E. Houseman, Laconia, N. H., and Wilbur L. Houseman, Maplewood,N. J., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Scott & Williams, In-

corporated, Inconia, Massachusetts N. 1]., a corporation of ApplicationJanuary 19, 1933, Serial No. 652,522

- Renewed March 5, 1936 Claims.

This invention relates to a knitting process and a machine for mostefiiciently carrying out such process, the invention primarily relatingto the production of designs by wrapping. i

The production of designs by causing suitable fingers to wrap individualneedles is well known. To produce wrapping or fail to produce wrappingat predetermined times has been accomplished either by the control ofthe wrap yarn fingers or the needles which may be movedeither topositions to take yarn from the wrap fingers or to avoid taking suchyarn in the formation of predetermined courses. Further elaborateeffects are produced by causing relative shogging between the wrap yarnlaying devices and the needles so that zigzag patterns result, the samewrap yarn producing loops in more than one wa e.

In order to produce wide bands or the like by the above mentionedprocess it is necessary to associate with each of the needles formingloops in such desired band an individual wrap finger I carrying anindividual wrap yarn. In order to more readily form wide panelsincluding a number of wales the process known as panel wrapping has beencarried out, the machines for the production of such panel wrappingbeing provided with fingers each of which presents a single yarn to aplurality of needles in the formation of a single course. Variousmethods have been devised for causing suitable fingers to present wrapyarns in this fashion to a number or needles. One of the mostsatisfactory of such methods involves the use of an abutment whichretards the yarn, in the case of a rotaryneedle machine, while theneedles and wrap fingers continue to move so that the presentation ofthe yarn to a plurality of needles takes place.

Theprocesses heretofore involved in the production of panel wrapping donot lend them-' selves readily to the formation of elaborate designs.That is, it is not generally feasible to secure wrapping of differentcolored yarns. on adjacent needles.

The present invention relates to the avoidance of the drawbacks of bothindividual needle wrapping and panel wrapping indicated above.Specifically, the process and machine relate to combined panel andindividual needle wrapping in the same fabric.

Specifically, the invention relates to more than merely the provisionfor both individual needle panel-wrapped. There is also provided inaccordance with the invention an improved method of varying the width ofa panel and also for producing panels of the same color of extraordinarywidth which may change colors in the direction of the wales. In brief,patterns of extreme intricacy may be produced by the process and machineof the present invention, as will be more apparent following thedescription of the details of the mechanism. 7

Other objects of the invention relating particularly to association ofvarious parts for carrying out the features indicated above in'thesimplest manner will become apparent from the following description readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: v

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the improved mechanism, being moreor less diagrammatic in nature, inasmuchas conventional and well knownparts. areomitted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a similar nature showing primarily thecontrolling means for th wrap fingers;

Fig. 3 is a radial vertical section showing certain needle controllingelements;

Fig. 4 is an inside development of the needle cams together with adiagrammatic illustration of their relationship to wrap fingercontrolling cams;

i Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical section showing the arrangement for theproduction of panel wrapp s; i

Fig. 6 illustrates the different types of needles used in the machine;and

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 show diagrammatically characteristic types offabrics which may be formed on the machine together with the set-up ofneedles, wrap fingers and pattern mechanism to eflect the productionthereof. In these views, the faces of the fabrics are shown, thesuccessive courses being shown in order from top to bottom and thesquares representing loops, surface plating by wrap yarns beingindicated by shading. The type of needle corresponding to each wale isindicated at the top of the fabric, and controlling cam positionscorresponding to the various courses are indicated at the left. Wrapfingers are indicated in their relationships to the needles for theknitting of the first course. The resultant needle and wrap fingershowing is that which would appear when viewed from the interior of theneedle cylinder corresponding to the inside development of Fig. 4.

The improved machine involves elements shown in greater detail in theapplications. of Harold E.

Houseman, Serial No. 422,818, filed January 23, 1930, now Patent No.1,892,702; Stanley R. Shelmire, Serial No. 469,056, filed July 19, 1930;and

Paul Bristow and Harold E. Houseman, Serial No. 529,518, filed April 11,1931, now Patent No. 1,922,119; to which reference will be made in thefollowing description for a more complete understanding of details ofoperation and construction.

The machine forming the preferred embodiment of the invention is of thestationary needlerotary cam type and includes a needle cylinder 2 inwhich are slidably mounted in the usual fashion needles t provided withthe usual butts and being without shoulders or having shoulders of fourdifferent lengths, as will be pointed out in greater detail hereafter.The stationary needle cylinder has associated therewith a stationarysinker dial while both the needle and sinker cams rotate for theproduction of stitches. The main yarn supply and fingers for feeding thesame also rotate. The revolving parts of the machine are carried by arotary .disc 6 to which the needle cams generically designated at 6 aresecured. These needle cams include the top center cam it, the bottomcenter cam 02, the stitch cams l4 and I6 and the end cams i8 and. 20together with the usual associated cams and instrumentalities most ofwhich are omitted in the present showing. Besides the conventional camsthere is provided a fixed cam -22 designed to operate on the butts ofthe needles to raise the needles together with a radially movable cam 24designed to selectively engage the shoulders of needles and lower them.This last cam together with its operating connections will be more fullydescribed hereafter.

An overhanging bracket 26 rotatably and slidably supports an uprightspindle 28 which carries a at its lower end a slotted wrap fingersupporting head 30. To the upper portion of the spindle 28 there issecured a radially extending arm 32 releasably engaged by the adjustablescrews carried by an arm 34 rotatable about the axis of the spindleabove the bracket 26 and carrying ratchet teeth 36 and 38 cooperatingwith suitable pawls for shogging, as illustrated in detail in the HaroldE. Houseman application referred to above. For the purposes of thepresent case it is only necessary to point out that under the action ofsuitable controlling mechanism operated by pattern chains shoggingmovements are imparted to the wrap finger carrier 30 so that slightangular movements of the same relative to the fixed needle cylinder areobtained, these shogging movements being angularly equal to or multiplesof the angular spacing of needles. While the wrap finger carrier will begenerally referred to as stationary, this term is used to differentiatefrom the revolving controlling cams since so far as the operation isconcerned the wrap fingers are effectively angularly fixed with respectto the axis of the needle cylinder when wrapping movements take place.

The wrap fingers and the controlling mechanism are similar to thosedisclosed in the Shelmire and Bristow and Houseman applications referredto above. The wrap fingers 40 are provided with center projections 42engaging within an annular groove of semi-circular cross section to forma fulcrum for the rocking of the fingers within the axially extendingslots so that their lower twisted ends 44 may be moved through thecircle of needles and returned inwardly to effect the wrapping of yarnsthereabout. The lower ends 44 are so twisted that the needles actthereon as cams causing the fingers to pass outwardly on one side oftheir corresponding needles and pass inwardly on the other side thereofso as to lay within the hooks of the needles the yarns threaded throughthe openings in the lower portions of the wrap fingers. These yarnsextend upwardly to suitable stationary supplies, the positions of thesesupplies being such that the limited angular shogging movements do notinterfere with their proper feed.

The upper portions of the wrap fingers above their pivots 62 areprovided with butts 46 which may be selectively broken away, if desired,for the purpose of patterning. While any suitable number of butts may beused, there are in the present instance 14 butt positions to whichcorrespond controlling cams 50 and 52. The upper ten of these are short,as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 1, and have active edges ofrelatively limited angular extent. The lower four of the cams areconsiderably longer as indicated at 52 in Fig. 1 and are provided withactive edges of substantial angular extent. While in the presentinstance four of these longer cams are illustrated, it is obvious thatthe distribution of the long and short cams may be varied as desired.

The cams 50 and 52 are similarly actuated, each of them being providedwith a projection 56 arranged to be acted upon selectively by the buttscarried by tricks 58 supported in a suitable trick wheel. Intermittentstep by step movements are imparted to this trick wheel upon rotationsof the moving parts about the needle cylinder by the action of a pawl 62upon a ratchet 60 secured to the trick wheel. The pawl 62 has movementsimparted thereto by the selective engagement of a member 64 with a disc66 having a fixed angular position but movable vertically under thecontrol of an arm 14 having a follower 16 acted upon by lugs of varyingheights formed on the links of a pattern chain 18 carried by a sprocketjournalled on a stud which carries a plurality of other sprockets all ofwhich are connected together and have imparted thereto intermittent stepby step movements upon each revolution of the knitting cams by a ratchetand pawl arrangement of conventional type as indicated in Fig. 1. Fixedreturn cams 68 and I0 are provided as shown, these cams being adapted toact upon the wrap fingers below their pivots to return their lower endswithin the needle circle following their outward movements. The variouscontrolling means for the wrap fingers are described in greater detailin theShelmire application already referred to. As pointed out in thatapplication the various cams 50 and 52 may be taken out of action as aunit at desired times in the knitting operations. The tricks carried bythe trick wheel are provided with butts which may be selectively brokenaway to control the formation of various patterns.

The sprocket 82, locked to the sprocket 80, has trained thereover asecond chain 84 the links of which carry lugs of varying heights adaptedto act upon a lever 86 secured to a shaft 88 extending transversely ofthe machine and carrying at its inner end an arm 90 the function ofwhich will be described later. A third sprocket 9| locked to the otherscarries the chain which controls the shogging movements of the wrapfinger carrier as described in the Harold E. Houseman application abovereferred to.

The use of wrap finger controlling means capable of acting at angularlydifferent points together with the return cams associated thereon thehorizontal arm 01' a bell crank I00 or with the bracket 9i. A spring I02urges the bell crank I00 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3,its movements being limited by a suitable stop. A bell crank I04 pivotedto the bracket 0| has an upwardly extending arm arranged to engage theslide 92 to move the same inwardly against the action of the spring 94.The horizontal arm of the bell crank I04 is notched at its outer end toprovide a series of steps I06. A bell crank I08 pivoted on a fixedportion IIIO oi. the machine frame overlies the arm 00 being urgeddownwardly in contact therewith by a spring M2. The upstanding arm ofthis bell crank carries a cam I designed to selectively act upon thesteps I06. Clockwise movement of the bell crank I04 is limited by a pinI0I extending outwardly from the bracket 9i. A fixed cam M6 is arrangedto engage the upwardly extending arm of bell crank Mt to rock itcounterclockwise as illustrated in Fig. 3 thereby freeing slide 92 formovement to such position as may be determined by the position of levertilt under the action oi cam I I4.

In the present instance there are three shoulders 98 adapted to engagethe lug 96 carried by the slide of the cam 24. As a result the cam itmay occupy four alternative positions engaging any one of the threesteps 98 or the bracket III. Similarly three steps I06 are provided onthe bell crank I04 which may be selectively engaged by the can I I4which, however, may also occupy an extreme outer position in which itfails to engage any of these shoulders.

To correspond with the four positions of the cam 24 there may beprovided in the setup of the machine needles having shoulders of any offour different lengths or having no shoulders. These needles areillustrated in Fig. 6, the numeral l being applied specifically to theneedles without shoulders while the needles with shoulders aredesignated 4a, db, 4c and dd respectively. The butts on these needlesare of long, short or intermediate type depending on the positions inthe needle circle so that heels and toes may be knit in the usualiashion. So far as the present case is concerned, however, nodistinction is made between the short and long butt needles inasmuch asthe only characteristics which need be considered are the lengths ofshoulders or the absence thereoi. The positions of the cam 24 are suchthat the cam may engage the shoulders of needles 402 only, 4c and idonly, 6b and 4c and 4d only or all four types of shouldered needleswhile failing of course to engage those needles which are not providedwith shoulders. The outermost position of the cam 24 is such that theshoulders of needles Gd will always be engaged thereby and depressed dueto the cooperation of the cam with the needles as indicated in Fig. i.The respective positions of the cams referred to above will be hereafterdescribed as positions at, c, b and a respectively, it being understoodthat in the position b, for example, the cam will engage and depressneedles db and also those carrying longer shoulders, namely, 40 and 4d.

As illustrated in Figs. land 5 there is provided immediately beyond thepoint where wrap fingers are swung outwardly by the action of cams 52 anabutment N8 of well known conventional type used for panel wrapping,this abutment serving to carry the wrap yarn through a predeterminedangular distance so that it will be engaged by the hooks of selectivelyraised needles known practice. In other words, the parts may be adjustedso that panels of a maximum width of approximately one inch may beproduced. A guard I20 oi the usual type is provided inwardly of theneedle circle. Both the abutment H8 and the guard I20 are secured to thelatch ring 48.

In the operation of the machine which is designed to do its patterningduring rotation the cams move relatively to the needles in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 4. The cam 22 whichis fixed with respectto the various knitting cams raises all of the needles which arethereafter selectively lowered by the action of the cam 28. Thoseneedles which are lowered are not wrapped by the fingers acted upon atthe position of the cams b2. Those needles which remain in upperposition are panel wrapped by the action of the fingers selectivelymoved outwardly through the needle circle by the cams 52 and thereafterreturned by the cam 08. It may be pointed out that for panel wrapping,needles cannot safely be wrapped by two diflferent fingers at this pointunless the successive fingers performing the panel wrapping are spacedby a distance greater than the maximum width of a panel inasmuch as theabutment panels of substantially identical length if all of the needlesare raised. This constitutes one of the usual limitations of a panelmachine and I I8 insures the only means for securing wrapping on adjahcent needles has been the establishment of successive panel wrappingpoints preceding the point of drawing the stitches.

Following the placing of the wrap yarns within the hooks oi the needlesby the panel wrapping mechanism, all of the needles rise over the cam itto a position to be selectively individually wrapped by wrap fingerscontrolled selectively by the cams 50 and returned by the cam I0 justprior to being lowered to draw stitches at the feed point of the mainyarn or yarns. In the present instance the feeding of the main yarn isconventionally shown as through an eye I22 although it will beunderstood that the usual selectively operable yarn fingers may beprovided to secure yarn changes.

The mechanical operations involved in wrapping in the described machinehave been previously indicated. There will nowbe described theproduction of characteristic types of fabric which will make clear theelaborate nature of designs which may be formed according to the presentwrap fingers during the formation of the initial courses shown at thetops of the figures. The colors of the yarns carried by therepresentative wrap fingers are illustrated by the hatching within thecircles corresponding to the hatching indicating the colors of thewrapped loops. The letters vertically arranged at the left of thefigures indicate the positions of the cam it during the formation of theloops represented in the successive courses. As pointed out in thedescription of these figures, the convention which is adoptedillustrates the Wrapfingers and needles in conformity with Fig. i whilethe faces of the fabrics are illustrated. v

In the following description the wrap fingers will be said to be shogged"forward" when they move in a direction opposite that of the cams, i. e.counterclockwise, away from needles to be panel wrapped, or to the leftrelatively to the needles as viewed in Figs. I to 10.

With the above generai explanation there will now be described thecharacteristics of the various illustrated fabrics.

Referring first to Fig. '7 there is disclosed therei in a fabriccomprising figured panel wrapping and shogged and patterned individualneedle wrapping. Except in the course indicated at Mid for the formationof which the cam 26 oocupies the position a. there is panel wrapping onone or more needles. The needles on which panel wrapping occur are ofthe types Ga, ill) and 3c arranged as indicated. The other needlesforming the portion of the fabric which is illustrated are of the typeid and are always depressed by the cam so that panel wrapping thereondoes not take place. By following the loops formed by the fingercarrying a green yarn, the steps of shogging may be readily seen. Thethree fingers which are used to form the panel wrapping are shown asnear the needles to be wrapped as they may be in order to successfullyform the design illustrated. That is, in spite of the fact that theshogging of fingers at the time loop 2% is formed has taken place onestep backward of that illustrated at the top of Fig. i, the finger 282is in position to form. this loop. 012 course, the wrap fingers mayoccupy positions forward oi those il lustrated limited only by thepossible width of the panel formed by the machine. It is immaterial inthe operation whether or not the fingers used for panel wrapping arecapable of wrapping those needles on which individual wrapping is totake place. As will be pointed out later, in fact, panel wrapping andindividual wrapping may take place on the same needles with oneoverlapping the other. In the fabric shown in Fig. 7 there is no doubleuse of the same finger to produce both individual needle wrapping andpanel wrapping although this may be done as will be pointed outhereafter. Of course, single as well as multiple needles may be wrappedby panel wrapping which term is used herein to designate such wrappingas is efiected by the action of the cams E and abutment fit and maybe'said to involve moving a wrap yarn in an extended path whereby it maybe engaged with one or more predetermined needles as contrasted withindividual needle wrapping as effected by cams 50 in which a wrap yarnis moved in a restricted path to cause it to be engaged only with asingle needle irrespective of positions of needles closely adjacent saidsingle n edle. It will be noted that the fingers used for panel wrappingare successively brought into action during the formation of thevertical panel. An unwrapped series of loops such as 200 can of raraaees course be produced in a generally wrapped series of wales bywithdrawal of the wrap fingers from action as well as by themanipulation of cam 2 to lower all of the needles on which panelwrapping may occur.

The design formed by individual needle wrapping is produced in anobvious fashion by selectively bringing into action and taking out ofaction the various fingers on both sides of the center fingertilt. Ofcourse, this pattern may be interrupted by the removal of all of theindividual needle wrapping fingers from action and may take numerousforms well known in the art. Primarily, this fabric is illustrated toindicate the non-interference of shogging and patterning by individualneedles with panel wrapping and vice versa.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated another type of fabric which may beproduced by the present machine. In this case the wrap fingers areshogged and selectively brought into action and removed from action toproduce a hollow individually wrapped figure. The openings thereinindicated at 2th, tit and M2 are filled by panel wrapping produced inthe present instance by three fingers which are cut out of action orbrought into action selectively as will be obvious. In this fashion witha minimum of complication a quite intricate filled-in design may beproduced. As will be obvious hereafter, various loops within the panelwrapped portion may be plated by individual needle wrapping. Themanipulation of the needles to produce the panel wrapping will beobvious from a consideration of the types oi:

needles and the positions of the cam M indicated in the figure.

In the fabric illustrated in Fig. 9 there are illustrated a number ofpeculiar results effected by the present machine. In this fabric ashogged individually wrapped pattern indicated at Zlii is formed by thewrap fingers 2H8 which are selectively brought into action in an obviousfashion by the action of cams at on butts thereon. An individuallywrapped vertical panel at 226 is produced on a single wale by the use ofthree wrap h u fingers 2222 carrying the same color yarn. By the use ofthe three fingers this vertical panel can be produced in spite of theshogging. Ordinarily in a machine capable of panel wrapping a panel ofthis character independent of shogging could be produced by panelwrapping independently of the shogging in the manner analogous to thatil1ustrated in Fig. 7. In the present instance, how" ever, this panelfalls either within or very close to the range of a panel formed bypanel wrapping with yarns of other colors. As a consequence, eventhougha multiple number of wrap fingers are necessary for its productionindividual wrapping is relied upon for its formation.

The three fingers 2%, 226 and 22B are similarly used to form the panelindicated at 230 which, in the present instance, is illustrated ashaving side projections. The finger 228, however, is also available forpanel wrapping at 236 although this finger 22a is used to individuallywrap the loops indicated above and below the panel wrapped portion 234at 236. It will thus be seen how the same finger may be used for bothindividual needle wrapping and panel wrapping. Fingers 238 serve toproduce the other colored portions by panel wrapping. The finger 240serves to form the portions 2 by individual needle wrapping. It is to benoted that this pattern follows the shogging movements. The arrangementof the series of fingers including 238, 240, 2'24, 226

-2,14s,9s Y 5 v as this illustrates the freedom of position of the panelwrapping fingers which may be suitably interspersed among theindividually wrapping fingers which, of course, must occupy definitepositions for the production of any given design.

As has already been indicated panel wrapping at the same wrap point canonly be used where there is a spacing of the panel wrapping fingers byan amount depending upon the arc of their action. In the presentinstance, it is assumed that panel wrapping by fingers 242 and 24 2would not serve to wrap the needles forming any portions of therighthand wrapped panel. In general, it might happen that these fingerswould have to be moved further to the left than illustrated in thefigure. The fingers 242 and 2M serve to form the panels 246. The needlesinvolved in this case are without shoulders so that wrapping alwaystakes place so long as either of the fingers 242 or 244 is in action. Ofcourse, this panel may be interrupted by removing both of the fingersfrom action just as each is removed for replacement by the other. Thefingers 2&2

and 2 also wrap in the portions indicated at 2% and 25b. The finger 24dis always forward of the extreme lefthand needle which is capable oftaking panel-wrapping yarns at 52 and, accordingly,

cam 24 as will be obvious inasmuch as the finger 222 can only wrapneedles to its rear as illustrated in Fig. 9. Accordingly in the extremelefthand panel of Fig. 9 it is shown how panel wrapping may beindependent of or dependent upon the shogging for the production offigures. There may be particularly pointed out the courses indicated at252 in which wrapping takes place on the .extreme forward needleirrespective of the fact that the other panel needles are not wrapped,while there may be contrasted the course 25% in which the extremeforward needle is not wrapped because the finger 242 is to the rearthereof. It is thus seen that shogging may be used instead of removal ofa finger from action to break a panel formed on a needle which is alwaysin raised position to receive a wrap yarn if any is presented.

In Fig. 10 there is illustrated a fabric in which individual needlewrapping takes place over panel wrapping and a wrap finger is used forboth individually wrapping and panel wrapping needles. The fingers 26dand 262 are used for panel wrapping, the former being also used forindividual wrapping at 216. The shogging which takes place determinestheforward extremity of the wrapping by the finger 26ll which produces theportions 264i and 266. The finger 262 produces the panel wrappingindicated at 268. The finger 212 individually wraps needles formingloops indicated at 214 which are plated over the panel wrapping by thefinger 266, and at 216 over the minated at 288 by removing theindividual wrapping fingers from action and causing all of the panelneedles except those forming the panel 266 to be removed from action.

The above four examples-illustrate the great variety of effectsproducible by the process and machine of the present case. It will bereadily seen that these effects are of a far more elaborate nature thanthose producible by panel or individual needle wrapping alone.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knittingpoint to draw stitchesof main and wrap yarns including, in the formation of a course, moving awrap yarn in an extended path whereby it. may be engaged with aplurality of predetermined needles; and moving a wrap yarn in arestricted path whereby it can be engaged only with a single needleirrespective of positions of needles closely adjacent to said singleneedle on both sides thereof- 2. The method of knitting a fabric havingwrap designs on a circular series of needles which are movable at aknitting point to draw stitches of main and wrap yarns including, in theformation of a course, moving a. wrap yarn in an extended path wherebyit may be engaged with a plurality of predetermined needles, and movinga wrap yarn in a restricted path whereby it can be engaged only with asingle needle irrespective of positions of needles closely adjacent tosaid single needle on both sides thereof; and, in the formation ofanother course, moving the last named wrap yarn in a restricted pathwhereby it can be engaged only with a different single needle to form ashogged pattern.

3. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knitting point to draw stitchesof mainand wrap yarns including, in the formation of a course, moving awrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with a pluralityof predetermined needles, and moving one or more of a series of wrapyarns restrictedly whereby any so moved can be engaged only with asingle needleirrespective of the positions of needles on both sides ofand closely adjacent to any needle thus individually wrapped; and, inthe formation of another course, moving a different one or more of saidseries of wrap yarns restrictedly in a similar fashion, but so that atleast one yarn is engaged with a, single needle other than that withwhich it was previously engaged to thereby form a shogged pattern.

4. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knitting point to draw stitchesof main and wrap yarns including, in the formation of acourse, moving awrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with a pluralityof predetermined needles, and moving a wrap yarn in a restricted pathwhereby it can be engaged only with a single needle irrespective ofpositions of needles closely adjacent to said single needle on bothsides thereof; and, in the formation of another course, moving the firstnamed wrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with adifferent plurality of predeter mined needles. l

5. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a. knitting point to drawstitches of main and wrap yarns including, in the forma- 61 greases tionof a course, moving a wrap yarn in an err-- tended path whereby it maybe engaged with a plurality of predetermined needles, and moving a wrapyarn in a restricted path whereby it can be engaged only with a singleneedle irrespective of positions of needles closely adjacent to saidsingle needle on. both sides thereof; and, in the formation of anothercourse, moving the first named wrap yarn in an extended path whereby itmay be engaged with a different plurality of predetermined needles, andmoving the second named wrap yarn in a restricted path whereby it can beengaged only with a different single needle to form a shogged pattern.

6. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knitting point to draw stitchesof main and wrap yarns including, in the formation of a course, moving awrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with a pluralityof predetermined needles, and moving a wrap yarn in a restricted pathwhereby it can be engaged only with a single needle next to one of saidpredetermined needles irrespective of positions of needles closelyadjacent to said single needle on both sides thereof.

'7. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knitting point to draw stitchesof main and wrap yarns including, in the formation of a course, moving awrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with a pluralityof predetermined needles, and moving a wrap yarn in a restricted pathwhereby it can be en-= gaged only with a single one of saidpredetermined needl'es irrespective of positions of needles closelyadjacent to said single needle on both sides thereof.

8. The method of knitting a fabric having wrap designs on. a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knitting point to draw stitchesoi' main and wrap yarns including, in the formation of a course, movinga wrap yarn in an ex tended path whereby it may be engaged with.

1 needles located on both sides of one or more pre determined needleswithout being engaged with said predetermined needles, and moving a wrapyarn in a restricted path whereby it can be engaged only with a singleone of said predeter mined needles irrespective of positions of needlesclosely adjacent to said single needle on both sides thereci.

. 9. The method of knitting a fabric having wrapdesigns on a circularseries of needles which are movable at a knitting point to draw stitchesof. main and wrap yarns including, in the forma tion of a course, movinga wrap yarn in an ex". tended path whereby it may be engaged with aplurality of predetermined needles, and moving a wrap yarn in arestricted path whereby it can be engaged only with a single needleirrespective of positions of needles closely adjacent to said singleneedle on both sides thereof; and, in the formation of another course,moving a different wrap yarn in a restricted path whereby it can beengaged only with the same single needle.

10. A knitting machine including a circle of needles, main yarn feedingmeans, means for -actuating said needles at a knitting point to drawstitches, means for selectively postioning needles, means for moving awrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with a pluralityof positioned needles to produce panel wrapping,

and means for moving a wrap yun in a restricted path whereby it can beengaged with only a single needle to produce individual needle wrappingin respective of positions of. needles adjacent said single needle onboth sides thereof.

11. A knitting machine including a circle of needles, main yarn feedingmeans, means for actuating said needles at a knitting point to drawstitches, wrap fingers, means for shogging said wrap fingers wherebythey may be located in selected operative relationships to the needles,means for selectively locating needles in positions to receive yarnsfrom wrap fingers, means for selectively moving wrap fingers to panelwrap a plurality of needles so located, and means for selectively movingWrap fingers to individually wrap needles irrespective of positions ofneedles adjacent any of said individually wrapped needles on both sidesthereof.

12. A knitting machine including a circle of needles, main yarn feedingmeans, means for actuating said needles at a knitting point to drawstitches, wrap fingers, means for selectively loeating needles inpositions to receive yarns from Wrap fingers, means for selectivelymoving wrap fingers to panel wrap a plurality of needles so located, andmeans for selectively moving wrap fingers to individually wrap needlesirrespective of positions of needles adjacent those individually wrappedon both sides thereof.

13. A knitting machine including a circle of needles, main yarn feedingmeans, means for ac tuating said needles at a knitting point to drawstitches, wrap fingers, means for selectively locating needles inpositions to receive yarns from wrap fingers, means for selectivelymoving wrap fingers to panel wrap a plurality of needles so located, andmeans fer selectively moving Wrap fingers to individually wrap needlesirrespective of positions of needles adjacent those individually wrappedon both sides thereof, said wrap fingers being capable of both panel andindividual needle swapping.

l4. knitting machine including a circle of needles, yarn feeding means,means for ac tuating s d needles at knitting point to draw stitches,wrap y, carrying fingers adapted, by contact needles, to to one sidethereof while moving outwardly and to the other side while mcvinginwardly, for actuating at least one of said wrap fingers to cause it towrap solely the needle with which it contacts irrespective positions atneedles adjacent said needle on, both 'des therecf, and means engagingthe yarn carried by least one of such fingers to cause it to engage aplurality of needles to produce 15. The method of Emitting a fabrichaving wrap designs on. circular series of needles which are movable atknitting point to draw stitches of main and wrap yarns including, in theformation of a course, moving a wrap yarn in an extended path whereby itmay be engaged with a plurality of predetermined needles, and movinganother wrap yarn in an extended path whereby it may be engaged with adifferent plurality of predetermined needles; and moving a wrap yarn ina restricted path whereby it can be engaged only with a single needleirrespective of positions of needles closely adjacent to said singleneedle on both sides thereof.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. WILBUR L. HOUSEMAN.

